Dan Hooker on 'Outrageous' Death Threats from Parnasse Fans Ahead of UFC Paris: 'I'm Here to Ruin Hopes and Dreams'

Dan Hooker is heading to enemy territory, and the French fans have already made their presence felt. Within hours of his UFC Paris main event against Salahdine Parnasse being announced on July 25, 2026, the New Zealander says his Instagram inbox was flooded with violent messages.

"The death threats have been outrageous," Hooker told Submission Radio. "Just the French people speaking French telling me I'm going to die and telling me they're going to kill me" . The threats have been nonstop, forcing Hooker to lean into the villain role as he prepares to spoil Parnasse's homecoming at the Accor Arena on September 5 .

A stark contrast with Benoît Saint-Denis

Hooker was explicit in contrasting the reception he's received ahead of this fight with his last bout against a French opponent. When he fought Benoît Saint-Denis at UFC 325 in January 2026, he received no death threats and the buildup was comparatively measured .

"I didn't get it when I fought [Benoît Saint-Denis]," Hooker said. "Like just the French people and speaking French telling me I'm going to die" . The difference, he noted, is that Parnasse's fans are far more passionate and protective of him as a hometown hero making his UFC debut, creating a tribal intensity that Saint-Denis did not generate .

What's at stake for both fighters

The fight carries enormous consequences for both men, though for very different reasons.

Dan Hooker (24-14, 36 years old, ranked #8 UFC lightweight) is on a two-fight losing streak — submitted by Arman Tsarukyan in November 2025 and then TKO'd by Benoît Saint-Denis in January 2026 . At 36, a third straight loss would be a serious career setback and could knock him out of the lightweight top 10 . A win over a hyped, undefeated-in-the-UFC prospect would immediately reset his trajectory .

Salahdine Parnasse (23-2, 28 years old) is a former two-division KSW champion (featherweight and lightweight) who spent nine years with the Polish promotion . He has long been considered one of the best fighters outside the UFC and turned down multiple previous UFC offers, with his coach stating in 2024 that KSW's offer was 20 to 30 times greater than what the UFC proposed . In 2024, he fought for Jake Paul's MVP promotion instead, defeating Kenneth Cross by first-round TKO on the Rousey vs. Carano card . This is his promotional debut, so he is under enormous pressure to prove he belongs at the highest level .

The significance of Parnasse headlining in his debut

It is extremely rare for the UFC to give a fighter a main event slot in their very first fight with the promotion . The UFC typically debuts new signees on the preliminary card or early main card. Parnasse landing the Paris headliner immediately signals that the UFC views him as a major star and a draw in the French market .

Parnasse himself said the main event opportunity was the decisive factor in finally signing: "It was really simple. It was to be part of this main event in Paris" . The risk for the UFC is also high — if the unproven debutant loses in front of his home crowd, the event's buzz deflates .

Hooker, for his part, has fully embraced the role of the spoiler. "I'm here to ruin hopes and dreams," he said. "This kid wants to come in, make a name for himself, crack the top 10, he wants to be a superstar. Well, I'm going to fly to France, and I'm going to f*ck everyone's night up" .